Blood, Power, and the Alpha's Throne

When I first met Henry Carter, he was nothing but a rogue drenched in blood. Later, he became Alpha Henry of the Iron Ridge Pack. He tattooed my name over his heart and handed me full command of the Pack’s warrior guard with a single sweep of his hand. Everyone knew Vera was his life. Until today, when the Omega he kept on the side walked right through my front door. Resting a hand on her swollen belly, she smiled sweetly and gave me some advice: "Luna, are you going to leave with some dignity now, or do you want to wait until my son grows up and kicks you out?" I raised my hand and ordered my men to drag her downstairs to "deliver the pup." When Henry saw the pool of blood beneath her, he lost his mind. He grabbed my throat, snarling, "Vera, you need to learn when enough is enough!" I let out a soft laugh, drew the silver dagger he had once gifted me, and aimed it straight at his chest. "Your heart really did change. Lucky for me, mine didn't." "My truest love has always been my ambition." I drove the dagger down. The body that hit the floor belonged to Limp, the shadow that had trailed Henry for years. "You love her that much? Makes sense. Limp trained that little she-wolf himself just to slip her into your bed. Making you lose your temper like this with me... I guess she really is something." I glanced down at the glint of silver pressed against my throat. With a smirk, I said: "Still not going to strike? You never used to hesitate like this, Henry." "Why are your hands shaking just holding a blade?" My mocking stare cut right through him. In the battle of wills, he was the one who broke first. He lowered his dagger and sank back onto the sofa. "Limp served me for ten years. You're too ruthless, Vera." I offered a faint smile and signaled my men to drag Limp's corpse away. "He wasn't you." "You're the only person I ever had a soft spot for." Henry looked at me, his eyes clouded with conflicting emotions. "I want to keep Vivian." "This path is soaked in blood and claws, Vera. I’m exhausted. Vivian is like a breath of fresh air. She makes me feel like an ordinary man who can just go grocery shopping, cook dinner, and live a normal life." I didn't answer right away. I set the dagger on the side table, struck a match, and lit an herbal cigarette. After taking a slow drag, I spoke. "Normal?" "Henry, did you ever tell her about the blood on your hands? The dirty territory cash? The enemies hunting you in the dead of night? Shoving her little fairy-tale routine into your world..." "That's not living a normal life. That's suicide." Henry's brows furrowed in irritation at my words. "Vera, I'm not asking for your permission." "I'm giving you notice." He stood up and walked into the back room to scoop Vivian into his arms. The Pack Healer was already wrapping a silverleaf-infused bandage around the gash on her calf, whispering a healing chant under her breath. The unconscious girl’s pale face leaned against his chest. Under the dim, flickering light, she looked at least seventy percent like I did when I was younger. "Vera, just focus on being my Luna." "This is your final warning. If you touch Vivian again, I won't hold back." Henry walked out, his men trailing behind him. The heavy front door swung open, and the sudden draft blew out the glowing tip of my cigarette. Behind me, Mike Cole stepped forward, bowing slightly as he struck another match to light it for me. "Your blade swerved," he murmured. "Did your heart soften, Luna?" Through the swirling gray smoke, I repeated the word with a cold edge of amusement. "Soften? I never intended to kill him today." "Taking Henry's life only requires one clean strike. What I want are the keys to the Pack vault, the real territory ledgers, and every legally deeded hunting ground under his name." "Death is far too easy an escape for him." Mike had looked uneasy when he thought I was going soft, but hearing my cold declaration made his breath hitch. He asked an almost naive question: "Don't you love him anymore?" Countless memories flashed through my mind, leaving behind only a faint, weary shadow of nostalgia. "Of course I love him." "If I didn't, do you think I would've spent ten years taking silver and claws for him just to play house?" "But love is a painkiller. Power is oxygen. When it hurts, you pop a pill to take the edge off. You can survive without it. But cut off your oxygen, and you're dead in minutes." The moment the words left my lips, the antique clock in the hall struck the hour. Mike checked his phone, his expression tightening as if he had just received an urgent report. "Breaking news from Moonstone Pack. Alpha Sam Black is dead. Word is... bloodline failure." "Good." A single word. Cold, detached, completely indifferent. Mike took half a step forward, unable to mask his bewilderment. "You're... not surprised? He was your father." The corner of my lips curled into the faintest hint of a smirk. "Why would I be surprised?" "I did it." Mike’s breath hitched in his throat. His pupils shrank, and the color drained completely from his face. Watching him turn ghost-pale, I spoke as casually as if I were commenting on the weather: "I've cleared plenty of stumbling blocks out of my way." "A biological father... is no different." The cigarette burned down to the filter. I ground it out in the crystal ashtray and looked at Mike. "Any more questions?" Mike bowed his head, too shaken to speak. I stood up, picked up the silver dagger, and gestured toward one of the guest rooms. "Didn't Henry say he wanted Vivian to stay? Then let her stay." "A good show is always worth watching to the end."Loud, sharp clicks of high heels echoed through the foyer. Vivian’s sweet, whiny voice drifted in as she bossed Henry’s warriors around with her luggage. "Careful with that!" "Henry bought that for me at an auction. If you scratch it, you're dead!" She stood in the center of the luxurious mansion, looking around with unvarnished greed and arrogance. Finally, her eyes landed on me sitting on the sofa, quietly flipping through the territory logs. She strutted over and cleared her throat. "Luna, Henry told me the air out here is good for me. He said I should move in and learn to get along with you." "You don't mind, do you?" I didn't even look up. I turned a page of the ledger, my voice flat and even: "I do." Vivian hadn't expected me to be so blunt. She thought I'd at least keep up appearances. She froze for a second, but then her smirk widened, oozing pure, foolish confidence. "Doesn't matter if you mind." "It's Henry's decision. He said once I get the hang of running the Pack, I'll be the real Luna of this house." As she spoke, she casually strolled over to my bar cabinet. She picked up an antique crystal glass from my private collection and held it up to the light. "This is pretty. I'll use it for my iced tea." When I ignored her, she brazenly walked back over, sat down right next to me, and yanked the folder straight out of my hands. "What are you reading?" "You shouldn't be looking at Pack business anymore. Henry said these files are mine now!" The freshly printed paper was razor-sharp. As she pulled it away, it sliced across my palm, drawing a thin line of crimson beads. But the moment the blood appeared, the cut began to knit itself back together. Within seconds, my skin was smooth and unblemished, leaving not even a scar. Only then did I finally turn to look at her. My gaze was freezing cold, devoid of any emotion, looking at her like a piece of worthless trash. Honestly, it had been years since I met someone with such a desperate death wish. "Who gave you permission to come in here?" "Henry, obviously! Who do you think you—" "There is only one master in this house," I cut her off, my voice calm yet laced with suffocating dominance. Vivian choked on her words, momentarily paralyzed by my aura. But she quickly puffed out her chest and stood up, trying to look down on me. "You wouldn't dare touch me!" she sneered. "Henry told me yesterday was his final warning to you. If you lay a hand on me, he'll throw you out of this Pack himself!" I let out a soft laugh. The humor didn't reach my eyes, and Vivian visibly shivered under my gaze. I stood up, sliding the silver dagger from behind my back and letting the cold blade catch the light right in front of her face. "Touch you?" "I wouldn't dirty my hands." I swung my arm— Vivian shrieked, dropping to the floor and curling into a ball with her hands over her head. The fatal blow never came. My blade hadn't been aimed at her. It flew straight toward the mahogany bar cabinet behind her. *Crash!* The crystal shattered violently, raining sharp shards across the floor. A flying piece grazed Vivian’s bare calf, leaving a shallow, bleeding gash. The skin around the cut twitched as it began to heal, but the process was agonizingly slow—far slower than that of any true werewolf. Just as I thought. A half-blood weakling. She was frozen in terror, completely pale, forgetting even how to cry. "The floor is dirty," I said coldly. "Clean it up." "Yes, Luna," Mike responded instantly. I leaned down over the trembling girl, dropping my voice to a lethal whisper: "The last dog who dared bark at me was Limp. I sent him to meet the Moon Goddess yesterday." "If you don't believe me, I can send you down to ask him yourself." Straightening up, I opened a Mindlink directly to Henry. *You have twenty minutes to get your bitch and her garbage out of my sight.* *Otherwise, you can start planning her Pack funeral.*Twelve minutes later, tires screeched against the gravel driveway outside. Henry stormed in, followed closely by his personal guard, Bob. His face was thunderous. The first thing he saw was Vivian huddled on the floor, bleeding from her leg and sobbing hysterically, with the shattered bar cabinet behind her. His temper exploded. The second Vivian saw Henry, she acted like her savior had arrived. She scrambled up and threw herself into his arms, wailing even harder. "Henry... she tried to throw me out!" "She threw a silver blade at me! She wanted to kill me! I was so scared..." Henry murmured a few words to comfort her, then glared at me, his voice shaking with fury. "Vera, what the hell is wrong with you?" "I warned you yesterday! You already made her lose our pup. She's recovering!" I stayed seated on the sofa, not even bothering to shift my posture. I met his furious gaze with dead, terrifying calm. "What's wrong with me?" "Didn't I make myself clear in the Mindlink?" My absolute composure only stoked his rage further. "Vera, this is my territory!" he roared. "I decide who lives under my roof. You don't call the shots here anymore!" A bitter chuckle escaped my lips. A memory flashed before my eyes—the first time Henry brought me to this very spot. Back then, he was young, his cheeks flushed with raw excitement as he showed me the unfinished foundation of our den, waving his arms wildly like an eager kid. *Vera, this land belongs to us now. You run it however you want. Do whatever makes you happy. In this house, you're the Alpha!* And now, here he was, puffing out his chest to force his mistress down my throat. I stood up and tilted my head. "Your territory?" "Henry, did you forget whose name is signed on the Pack blood oath? Or did you forget who actually runs those 'clean' hunting grounds of yours?" Henry froze, words catching in his throat. Yet, feeling Vivian trembling in his arms, his pride wouldn't let him back down. "You..." I glanced indifferently at the crying girl clinging to his chest. "Over her? A plaything you've known for seven months, groomed and served to you on a silver platter?" "You really want to go to war with me over this? Are you sure about that?" The fire in Henry's chest abruptly sputtered out. His dominance wilted. I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a lethal, serpentine whisper. "What do you think happens if I leak the real ledgers from your vault to the Moonstone Pack? I hear their Alpha just died, and their wolves are out for blood. Or what if I simply announce that you broke Pack law..." "Do you really think you'd still be standing in front of me, parading your little she-wolf around?" Henry didn't say another word. Even Bob, standing right behind him, lowered his head to avoid meeting my eyes. I gave Mike a subtle nod. Mike immediately stepped forward and gestured toward the door. "Mr. Carter, your car is waiting outside." With a face black as thunder, Henry wrapped his arm around Vivian and stormed out without looking back. "Luna, showing your hand like that... Henry will definitely make a move," Mike warned softly. "Are you sure..." I smiled and shook my head. "That wasn't my real hand. That was the last mercy I’ll ever give him." "If he's stupid enough to strike, he's already lost.""Luna." When Mike knocked and stepped into the room, I had already been standing by the window for a long time. "Report." "Henry called an emergency meeting with all the Pack Elders in the Great Hall last night. He officially revoked your command over the warrior guard. His reasoning: you overstepped your authority by executing Limp and threatened Pack stability." Listening to the report, I felt no rage, no urge to scream, not even a twitch of my brow. The only thing I felt was the final spark of lingering hope—a weakness I hadn't even wanted to admit to myself—flickering out completely. "Execute the plan." I turned away from the window, the last ripple of emotion vanishing from my eyes. Over the past few weeks, Henry hadn't returned to our mansion once. He stayed holed up in the Pack Hall. My threat had hit its mark; he felt his authority slipping, so he quietly began stripping away every ounce of power he had ever granted me. Until today, when Bob arrived at my door. "Mr. Carter has called an early Pack assembly," Bob said carefully. "He requests your presence." I nodded calmly. "I'll be there." I pushed open the heavy double doors of the Great Hall. Henry sat at the far end of the long table, flanked by the senior Elders of the Pack. Vivian was there too, sitting right beside Henry, practically glued to his side. Henry didn't waste words. He slid a formal contract across the polished wood toward me. "I am officially revoking your command of the guard. From now on, you stay on the estate. You will no longer interfere in Pack business." The air in the room froze solid, suffocating as the calm before a hurricane. Everyone expected me to tear the document to shreds and drag Henry down with me in a bloody brawl. Instead, I picked up the pen and smoothly signed my name. The scratch of the nib against the parchment was the only sound in the hall. Watching me sign, Vivian couldn't hide the triumphant smirk spreading across her face. I tossed the pen aside and slid the contract back toward Henry. Looking at him, the corner of my mouth tugged upward into a faint curve. It wasn't a smile. It was pity. Henry’s instincts screamed that something was wrong, and he parted his lips to speak— Then I shifted. No warning. No hesitation. My massive gray wolf burst into form in the center of the hall, muscles rippling under thick fur, silver eyes locking onto Henry with deadly focus. A low, thunderous growl rolled from my throat, rattling the very foundations of the room. The synchronized thud of boots echoed outside. Mike marched in at the head of twenty elite warriors—every single one handpicked and trained by me. In seconds, they locked down every exit, disarming Henry’s personal guards and pinning them to the floor. Henry bolted to his feet, the color draining from his face. "Vera! What are you—" I shifted back into my human form, standing tall and perfectly composed, my voice steady as if ordering dinner. "Did you really think I came here today to beg you for scraps of power?" I pointed toward the entrance. "The thirty warriors stationed at the northern border pledged their loyalty to me last night. That stash of silver blades you hid in the west cellar? Mine now. And every single scout you posted around this hall has already been replaced by my wolves." Henry went stark white. "You turned my men against me?" "I didn't turn them," I corrected smoothly. "I simply helped them realize who the real Alpha worth following is." I nodded to Mike. Mike put two fingers to his lips and blew a sharp, piercing whistle. The sound sliced through the heavy stone walls. Moments later, a chorus of howling echoed from the surrounding forests, rising in terrifying waves. My pack was answering the call. The perimeter of the Iron Ridge Pack was already under my command. Henry collapsed back into his chair. Behind him, Vivian shrank into her seat, trembling violently, every trace of her earlier smugness completely gone. I walked up to Henry, leaned down, and spoke in a voice meant for his ears alone: "You thought you were weakening me. In reality, you were just reminding me that it was time to take what's mine."